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Seed, Flower, Feather
''Ered, Alfirin, Quesse'' Moral of the story: Drow are jackasses, but wimpy cowardly ones, and elves are awesome and LOVE PREVAILS. Once upon a time, a sun elf youth and maiden were betrothed to be married. The maiden was so radiantly beautiful, and elated at the upcoming wedding, that flowers seemed to bloom in her wake. To the youth, the gold in her fair hair and the sparkle in her eyes were worth more than all the treasure in the world. For the couple was in love, and deeply so. The night before their wedding, just before they parted to their separate homes, they clasped hands and swore to be true to each other forever, and never to let harm come to the other. But disaster struck that very night: In the blackest hours, a crowd of wicked drow fell upon their forest village, to burn and kill and steal what they could. When the sun rose, several elves lay dead on the ground, and several homes were nothing but cinders. The youth had been spared the attack, for the dawn had chased the drow away before they could finish their evil work. But his relief was short-lived, for his bride was nowhere to be found—not among the living nor the dead. Though despair filled his heart, he swore to find his beloved, wherever she may be, and left that very day. He had not gone far before he came across a deer. "Where are you going?" it asked him. He told it of his quest, and it said, "I saw your lover kidnapped by the drow last night. They took her down this path, though where they went after that I do not know. "Before you go, take this seed. If you plant it and water it with your tears, a vine several leagues long will grow in moments. Perhaps it will be of aid to you." The youth accepted the seed and thanked the deer, and went on his way. Presently, he came upon a fork in the road, and here he stopped, for both paths seemed identical to him. A rabbit leapt out of the undergrowth and onto the path. "Where are you going?" it asked him. He spoke to it as he had spoken to the deer, and it said, "They took your lover down the left-hand path, but beyond that I cannot say. "Before you go, take this flower bud. Trapped inside its petals is a drop of pure daylight. Kiss the bud, and the flower will bloom. Maybe it will help you." The youth took the gift, with thanks, and walked on. The path stretched on and on, and the youth felt he had been walking for days, even weeks. But the path abruptly ended and dipped down into a valley as wide as the world and deep as the ocean. Here the youth cried out in sorrow, for how was he to cross that? But his cry had been heard, and a great white bird swooped down and landed before him. Its wings seemed to blot out the sky. "What ails you, that you cry out so?" it asked him. "My lover has been kidnapped by drow, and taken where I can no longer follow." "But why do you follow? They will kill and eat your lover, and do the same to you if you try to rescue her." The youth's heart fell at this news, but he said, "Because she is my beloved and worth more to me than all the treasure in the world. I swore no harm would come to her. " The white bird nodded gravely, and said, "I know where the hiding-place of the drow is to be found. Climb on my back and I will take you there." The youth did as he was bid, and the white bird flew over valley and river and mountain range, when finally they landed by a cave so deep and dark that no light could pierce it. "Before you enter, take one of my feathers. Grasp it high above your head, and it will take you wherever you bid it to go." Tearful with gratitude, the youth waved the bird farewell. As he did so, he dropped the deer's seed onto the earth, and a single tear fell to dampen the ground around it. And before his eyes a leafy vine twined its way into the cave, as quick as the beat of a hummingbird's wing. Swiftly, the youth climbed down the vine and was plunged into darkness. When he reached the very bottom of the tunnel, he found that the rabbit's flowerbud was glowing as softly as a weak star by twilight, and he held it up to light the way. He did not walk far before he heard voices. When he turned a corner, what a terrible sight met his eyes! For the tunnel had led to a vast cavern filled with drow, the same dark elves that had razed half his village. In the very center there was a bonfire that burned with a forbidding purple light, and next to it was his beloved, all tied up, who caught his eye across the room and called his name. As all the drow turned and began to set upon him with wicked gleams in their eyes, the youth pressed the bud to his lips. Beams of golden light poured from the flower's heart as each petal unfolded, a joy to see after so many hours spend in the dark underground. But the drow only howled and fell to the ground in pain as the drop of daylight illuminated the cavern. In a twinkling, the youth ran to his beloved's side and untied the ropes. Then he took her hand and raised the white bird's feather, and called out, "Home! Take us home!" A great gust of wind enveloped the couple, sweeping them off their feet and out the deep caves. They flew weightlessly over mountain range and river and valley, through the deep forests with its secret pathways, and at last to their village. Though still saddened by the loss of so many, all the elves rejoiced to see the sun elf maiden returned home safely. The couple was married and lived in peace and joy to the end of their days. ← return to Elven Lore Category:Folklore